The Dream Foundation partnered with local swimwear designer, and Dos Pueblos High School graduate Danielle Rocha, to host a swimwear runway show Thursday evening benefiting the Dream Foundation.
The event known as “Summer Dream,” took place at Aperture Collection and Cabana Home in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone.
The “Summer Dream” event geared towards attracting young professionals to the charity work of making dreams come true for those battling life-threatening illnesses.
The Dream Foundation says that it has seen an increase in engagement from young audiences between the ages of 18 and 35, and about 11 percent of dream recipients are between 18 and 35 years old.
The event, emceed by NewsChannel 3’s Shirin Rajaee, showcased a mixture of 1980’s and Brazilian style inspired bikinis by Rocha Swim.
“It is exciting to be working with a talented young designer like Danielle Rocha, who has channeled her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit into giving back to the community,” said the event chair Arlene Montesano in a statement.
Fashion from other local designers, food from Carl’s Jr., and a raffle were also part of the event. A live performance by aerial dancers delighted the crowd prior to the fashion show.
All proceeds from the event will be earmarked to serve the dreams of applicants in their twenties.
Kenneth Fulcher Sr. has been through a lot of illnesses. A triple bypass, a stroke, and now a third bout with cancer.
Through it all, his love of his wife, his family, and “date nights” of pro wrestling have kept him going, and now he’ll get a chance to have another date night with his wife of 50 years.
For Fulcher, the WWE is appointment viewing television with his wife. When asked where the idea for the date night originated, Fulcher replied “I reckon she just got tired of me watching it by myself!”
With Fulcher’s lung cancer returning, Kenneth has been using a hospital bed at home, a move that upset his wife. Granddaughter Sophia Talbott explains “Nanny has got real upset, because they shared a bed for 50 years, and that was going to be the first step of losing him.” Despite the pain, he insisted on keeping his time with his wife on Monday nights. Talbott continued “Papa said he would forgo any pain or discomfort on those nights and get into bed to watch wrestling with her. So it’s their designated date nights.”
That’s when his granddaughter wrote a letter to the Dream Foundation. On Thursday, the group presented VIP tickets to Fulcher and his wife to see the WWE in Roanoke, and to meet his favorite wrestler, WWE Superstar Roman Reigns, backstage. Jere Bayne presented the gift on behalf of Genentech and the Dream Foundation, who said “It’s more of a reward to us to deliver this, to see the families and say ‘Hey, go have a good time, forget about cancer.'”
The gift may not make Kenneth’s health better, but for the Fulchers, it’s one more chance to share something more than a love of wrestling. Through tears, he explained why the nights are special, saying “I’m never away from her!” (Read more)
Santa Barbara, CA– Dream Foundation—the only national dream-granting organization for adults and their families battling life-threatening illness—will fulfill lifelong animal lover Reba Reeves’ dream by bringing a petting zoo to the nursing home where she resides.
The 86-year-old Phenix City resident—who has a life expectancy of approximately six months— wants nothing more than to spend time with some animals in her final days.
On Thursday, June 4th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Parkwood Health Care, 3301 Stadium Dr., Phenix City, Reeves and her fellow residents will enjoy a petting zoo provided by Jubilee Farm. Media is invited to attend.
According to Reeves’ Gentiva Hospice social worker, Keldin Jones, who referred her request to Dream Foundation, Reeves grew up in the country with the constant comfort of animals. “Whenever I visit her,” she says, “she asks to see animals and to return to the country.”
Since her illness and prognosis preclude her from doing so, Jones suggested the next best thing would be to bring the animals to her.
According to Dream Foundation Executive Director Kisa Heyer, Reeves’ dream conveys the simplicity of many requests the Foundation receives. “A dream for an adult is often a humble request,” Heyer says. “At the end of the day, it’s about experiencing a long lost love, and creating deep and meaningful memories.”
Dream Foundation—the only national dream-granting organization for adults and their families battling life-threatening illness—is partnering with cutting-edge local swimwear designer, Danielle Rocha of Rocha Swim, to host Summer Dream, a swimwear runway show event aimed at engaging young adults in the mission of Dream Foundation and raising funds to help make dreams come true.
Press are invited to attend the event:
Summer Dream Swimwear Runway Show
5-8 p.m., Thursday June 4th
Aperture Collection and Cabana Home
(120 Santa Barbara St. Santa Barbara, CA 93101)
One-hundred percent of proceeds raised will be earmarked to serve the dreams of applicants in their twenties.
“About 11% of our dream recipients are between the ages of 18 and 35,” says Kisa Heyer, Dream Foundation Executive Director. “Their dreams range from basic needs items like laptops and tablets to stay connected with family and friends, to the opportunity to meet a personal hero or experience a rite of passage such as a graduation or prom.”
Summer Dream will feature a runway show by Rocha Swim, as well as fashion from other local designers including CA Makes, Studio 399 Jewelry, Make Smith, Lisa Sands Design, and Chapala & Parker. On hand serving up burgers and bites will be the mobile Carl’s Jr. ® Star Diner. There will be live performances by Danny Winter and DJ IDEX, as well as a raffle, wine and beer.
According to event chair Arlene Montesano, “It is exciting to be working with a talented young designer like Danielle Rocha, who has channeled her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit into giving back to the community. This is going to be the first event of its kind for Dream Foundation and we are working hard to make it a great success.”
Raffle tickets—for prizes including beauty and fitness packages, as well as a 3-night stay at the Four Seasons Punta Mita Resort in Mexico—are also available for purchase at the same link: $10 each or 6 for $50. Presence at event not required to win.
Summer Dream event sponsors include Blue Star Parking, Cabana Home, Carl’s Jr.®, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Don and Susan Kang, Jim Nigro, Eric and Nina Phillips, Walter Claudio Salon Spa, SpaceNK Apothecary.
Dream Foundation maintains a 4-star Charity Navigator rating (the highest rating) for sound fiscal responsibility and has never turned away a qualified dream request.
What would you do if you had less than a year to live and could have one wish granted? Where would you go? Who would you bring with you?
For Randy, a 53-year-old HealthPartners Hospice patient, the answer was easy. He’d never been to the Black Hills to see Mount Rushmore or Crazy Horse, and he would love nothing more than to take in those monuments with his loved ones at his side. The good news for Randy was that his hospice team had an idea. His nurse, Alyssa Copley, and social worker, Diane Wiersgalla, submitted an application to the Dream Foundation to get his wish granted. And they didn’t just wait, cross their fingers, and hope for the best.
Alyssa and Diane called the Dream Foundation almost every day to make sure they received the application and check in on the status. Then, one day in late September, something magical happened. “The Dream Foundation showed up at his house like he’d won the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes!” Alyssa says. They had gas cards to pay for the travel, books, games, and puzzles to entertain the kids in the car and beach towels and noodles for some fun at the hotel pool. A few weeks later, the Fierro family took off for South Dakota, but the red carpet treatment didn’t stop there! Once Randy, his wife, their daughter and two grandchildren arrived in the Black Hills, the family was surprised with a luxury suite at the hotel, a private laser show at the Crazy Horse memorial and a VIP shuttle to the top of the monument—something very few guests get to do. Other stops along the way included a walk through Rushmore Cave and a haunted house.
“This trip came at exactly the right time,” Randy says. “Being that close to Crazy Horse genuinely lifted me up. There was really something spiritual about it, which my whole family felt. We are all so thankful for this experience—it was so much fun!”
What would you do if you had less than a year to live and could have one wish granted? Where would you go? Who would you bring with you?